CONOR MCGREGOR has not got ‘the right’ to fight Manny Pacquiao, the legend’s coach has stated amid rumours of the pair taking to the ring.
The crossover bout was tipped to take place later this year by McGregor, 33.
But the Filipino veteran will instead fight Yordenis Ugas on August 21 after a showdown with Errol Spence Jr was cancelled due to injury.
And Justin Fortune, Pacquiao’s strength and conditioning coach, has dismissed the idea of a McGregor match-up.
Fortune, speaking in an interview with Coffee Friend, said: “It would have gone two rounds against McGregor – one round to warm up and one round to finish the guy.
“Or we could have warmed up properly in the changing rooms and it would have gone one round.
“McGregor is not a boxer. It’s not his sport. Manny’s not an MMA guy, it’s not his sport.
“Put Manny against McGregor in MMA and McGregor destroys Manny. Manny against McGregor in boxing – Manny destroys him.
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“It’s unfair to match them like that. Conor’s record is 1-5 in his last six fights. Why fight McGregor, McGregor does not deserve to fight Manny, why give McGregor the payday?
“What gives him the right to fight Manny? McGregor has loss after loss after loss.”
Aussie ex-pro Fortune instead has one other idea for McGregor: a fight with Logan Paul.
He noted: “Fight Logan Paul for the money, big guy, deserves it. I like Logan Paul, he’s got some skills.
“These exhibitions are great for the guys on YouTube who are making a lot of money.
“But it’s all good until someone gets hurt. At the moment they’re making tons of money and no-one is getting hurt and that’s all well and good but if they start fighting serious guys – someone is going to get seriously hurt.”
At 42, Pacquiao continues to target world titles and extend his 71-fight record.
In Fortune’s eyes, the eight-division champion has therefore surpassed Floyd Mayweather as the debate over the greatest pound-for-pound boxer of all-time rages on.
He stated: “We’ll never see another Pacquiao again. Period.
“Manny has surpassed Floyd Mayweather. If Floyd wanted to prove a point he would have fought Manny again.
“We all know Manny had a shoulder injury [in 2015]. The offers were put out there for the rematch – he wanted nothing to do with it.
“Instead he chose to fight Conor McGregor and a frigging YouTuber.
“Boxing has done him good. Mayweather, now he’s gone and sullied its name. They are great if they’re exhibitions, people just cashing out – good luck to you. But don’t let them go on your record.”
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